Walking … sitting … standing … these are things most people do every day. But how often do we think about our knees and the job they do? Did you know that age, weight, lifestyle, gender and ethnicity make each person’s knees unique? We may not think about such things, but thankfully healthcare professionals who help us keep our knees healthy know all about this subject.
FirstMRI’s physicians and technologists understand that even slight variations in the knee can influence the way a surgeon approaches an operation on this critical joint. Just a few degrees of variation in the size and placement of a knee implant, for example, can have a significant impact on the immediate and long-term success of your surgery. Surgeons need the most precise MRIs with the greatest clarity to assure a custom fit knee implant.
FirstMRI has been chosen by OtisMed to provide orthopedic physicians with the precise MR images that will be used for patients who are scheduled for total knee replacement surgery using OtisKnee® products that have been developed to provide a custom fit knee replacement. Once it is determined that a patient will be having a knee replacement, he is referred to FirstMRI where detailed MR images are obtained. The images must be three dimensionally perfect because they serve as essential cutting guides for the surgeon. The clarity of the image is directly related to the success of the surgery.
Dr. Jordan Shubert of Down East Orthopedics is the first area surgeon to use this new process. According to Dr. Shubert, “The OtisKnee software is the key to using MR images to recreate the patient’s knee precisely as it was before arthritic change. Patients essentially have their prearthritic anatomy restored through customized replacement and there is also reduced blood loss during the surgery using this technique.” The new approach provides surgeons with patient specific-cutting guides that allow them to optimize implant fit and alignment while preserving more bone and ligaments.
This technique has been performed on more than 7,000 patients in the US. Surgeons and patients have reported quicker recovery times, less pain and greater return to function than with traditional and computer-assisted total knee replacement techniques. Surgeons have also reported reduced surgical times, simplified surgical set-up as well as quicker patient discharge.
Because your knees are so important and vulnerable, the professionals at FirstMRI suggest you follow the National Institutes of Health guidelines to reduce the chance of knee problems and injuries.
These guidelines are valuable whether you are avoiding initial damage or guarding against repeat injury. But if you are already scheduled for knee replacement surgery, know that state-of-the-art medical technology exists to achieve the best possible outcome. In partnership with FirstMRI, Dr. Paul Templeton, chief Radiologist for Spectrum North Medical Group, has interpreted many MRIs. According to Dr. Templeton, "All aspects of bone, cartilage, ligaments, and soft tissue structures in the knee are seen in excellent detail that surpasses other imaging modalities. MRI diagnoses tears, infection, neoplasm and other degenerative diseases with a high level of accuracy." And the selection of FirstMRI to provide MRIs for patients scheduled for total knee replacement using the OtisKnee® products will help bring new custom fit knee replacement technology to more patients in our state.
Remember … we are all unique and so are our knees!